2026 French Open Women’s Draw: Preview and Prediction featuring Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, Iga Swiatek, and Coco Gauff

The main draw of the French Open is set to start on Sunday (May 24). Coco Gauff will be playing as the defending champion.

Last year, the American ace defeated World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka to win her second Grand Slam singles title. World No.3 Iga Swiatek, also the four-time Roland Garros champion, will be hoping to end her title drought on clay.

Tournament Details

• Tournament: French Open
• Date: May 24th – June 7th
• No. of Entrants: 128 (Singles)
• Venue: Roland Garros Stadium, Paris
• Surface: Outdoor clay court
• Total Prize Money Pool: $72.1 million
• Defending Champion: Coco Gauff

Top Seeds at the 2026 French Open

• Aryna Sabalenka
• Elena Rybakina
• Iga Swiatek
• Coco Gauff
• Jessica Pegula
• Amanda Anisimova
• Elina Svitolina
• Mirra Andreeva
• Victoria Mboko
• Karolina Muchova

First Quarter

Aryna Sabalenka will headline this quarter. The four-time Grand Slam singles champion will be chasing her fourth title of the season and her third Big Title.

This quarter will see a first-round clash between two rising stars, Alexandra Eala and Iva Jovic. Naomi Osaka is projected to face Sabalenka in the fourth round. The second half of this quarter features Victoria Mboko and Jessica Pegula. Apart from Sabalenka and Osaka, another Major champion, Madison Keys, is also part of this quarter.

Quarterfinal prediction: Aryna Sabalenka vs. Jessica Pegula

Second Quarter

Coco Gauff, the top seed from this quarter, will meet countrywoman Taylor Townsend in the first round. Apart from Gauff, other seeded players in this quarter are Anastasia Potapova, Anna Kalinskaya, Ekaterina Alexandrova, Linda Noskova, Elise Mertens, Ann Li, and Amanda Anisimova.

Gauff is the only player in this quarter who has won a Major singles title. Qinwen Zheng, the 2024 Paris Olympics gold medalist, is not enjoying good form, so she is not expected to make a deep run.

Quarterfinal prediction: Coco Gauff vs. Amanda Anisimova

Third Quarter

Elina Svitolina could meet Iga Swiatek in the quarterfinals. The Ukrainian ace is enjoying good form, having played three finals, winning two titles, including the Italian Open.

But before that, Svitolina could meet Belinda Bencic in the fourth round. This year’s Madrid Open champion, Marta Kostyuk, is also part of this quarter. In the third round, Swiatek could schedule a blockbuster clash with Jelena Ostapenko, against whom she surprisingly trails 0-6.

Quarterfinal prediction: Elina Svitolina vs. Iga Swiatek

Fourth Quarter

Mirra Andreeva could meet Karolina Muchova in the fourth round. Andreeva finished as the runner-up at the Madrid Open.

The second half of this quarter features two-time Grand Slam singles finalist Jasmine Paolini and two-time Major champion Elena Rybakina. Paolini could meet 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu in the second round.

Quarterfinal prediction: Mirra Andreeva vs. Elena Rybakina

Semifinals

Sabalenka is the winner of three clay-court singles titles, winning all at the Madrid Open. But Pegula, who defended her Charleston Open title, is a onetime quarterfinalist at Roland Garros.

Gauff played this year’s Miami Open final and the Italian Open final. Even though Swiatek is a winner of 10 titles on clay, she is struggling to find her groove. It’s tough to predict who would emerge victorious between Rybakina and Andreeva (they have a 2-2 head-to-head record).

Semifinals prediction:

• Aryna Sabalenka vs. Coco Gauff
• Elina Svitolina vs. Elena Rybakina

Final

Sabalenka holds a 7-6 head-to-head edge over Gauff, also winning their previous meeting in the final of this year’s Miami Open. Gauff, in fact, lost their previous matches on clay.

Rybakina and Svitolina are tied at 4-4 in the head-to-head meetings, with the latter winning their previous match in the quarterfinal of this year’s Italian Open. It was Rybakina who emerged victorious in this year’s Australian Open final by defeating Sabalenka.

• Final prediction: Aryna Sabalenka vs. Elena Rybakina
• Winner prediction: Aryna Sabalenka

Also read: Arthur Fils Opens Up on the Injury That Sidelined Him for Roland Garros